


Dinner With the Queen

by Kiki242



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 00:34:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18981559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiki242/pseuds/Kiki242
Summary: Brienne decides to return to Winterfell and has a dinner with the Queen of the North.





	Dinner With the Queen

Sansa looked at her former sworn shield quizzically. “why did you come back?” she questioned softly. It was visibly obvious as to how tense Brienne became at the question.  

The taller woman kept her eyes on the training yard, taking in the work of Sansa's guards. “I,” Brienne began with hesitation, “found that the capital didn't fit me,” was the answer she settled for. Still, Sansa's blue eyes bore into her.

“and the cold north did? You used always complain about how cold it was. Winter will not be over for quite some time,” Sansa pressed.

Brienne gave a bit of a shrug, “the cold is unpleasant, but I have not spent as much time anywhere else as I have here, since leaving Tarth. Winterfell has become a second home to me, Your Grace”.

“Has it?” Sansa questioned softly.

Brienne turned to face her finally and found that the typical guard that would in Sansa's eyes gone. She was one of the select few that got to see Sansa's walls come down, to see her innermost emotions, thoughts, and feelings show. It was an honor she held dear to her heart. She understood just how hard it was for Sansa to trust people.

“It has, Your Grace,” she answered truthfully.

Sansa smiled then, a true smile, rather than her political one. “Well then, welcome home, Ser Brienne".

Brienne returned her smile, her eyes floating to the crown sitting on Sansa's head. A swell of pride rose within her and she could only wish that Catelyn Stark could see her daughter now. “How is it?” she asked, motioning towards the crown, “Being the Queen in the North?”

“It's not much different from being Lady of Winterfell when Jon was in Dragonstone,” Sansa answered, as they began to walk down the steps towards the training yard. “Granted, there is no longer the constant worry that in some manner, the North will be subjugated.”

Brienne remembered those days of Sansa venting her worries of Jon bending the knee, in which he did. But that hadn't stopped Sansa from standing up to the now slain dragon queen.

Those meetings had been so tense, and the lightly veiled threats thrown towards Sansa always had Brienne ready to pull out her sword. But Brienne knew that Sansa didn't like the forceful way, she preferred the play of words and the mental game. Which Brienne had to admit was more fit for the occasion.

“I am happy to hear that. I was rather worried that the new title would be stressful and there really isn’t anyone here for you anymore.”

Something flashed Sansa's eyes at that but it was gone as quickly as it came. They reached the soldiers and Sansa's attention became focused on them; aware they could potentially overhear something.

The duo walked throughout the training yard. Brienne saw several familiar faces and was greeted by them. They all referred to her as Ser Brienne. Something that still managed to make her insides warm.

“You will find it that they will welcome you with open arms,” Sansa noted at one pointed.

“Is that so?” Brienne asked, her curiosity genuine.

“It is. Who wouldn't want to be under the command of the greatest knight in Westeros?” Sansa questioned with a small smile.

Brienne's reaction was exactly as Sansa predicted it to be. There was always something so endearingly modest and shy about Brienne. A light blush came to her cheeks as she focused her eyes on the ground. “Your Grace, you are too kind.”

“I am just being truthful,” they then came to a sudden stop. Brienne met her eyes once again. She could see the mirth playing in Sansa's eyes. It made her feel even more embarrassed knowing she gave the redhead her desired reaction.

“Are you certain you aren’t just teasing me?”

“Partly,” Sansa admitted, “but that’s only did to how you receive praise, even when it's true.”

“I suppose so,” Brienne relented, looking away once more.

A half smile made its way across Sansa's face, but she said no more on the matter. “I will leave you to your new duties, Ser Brienne. I hope you will be able to join me for dinner tonight.”

Brienne nodded, accepting the offer before giving her queen a slight bow in departure.

Both women had their hands full until it was dinner time. Since as they were still deep into the cold grasp of winter, Sansa had to be very diligent about monitoring food supply. There was also still the clean up of the battle with the Night King to consider, as well as helping her brother rebuild King's Landing. The issue with food, however, was her biggest worry. During her youth, it had been one of the biggest things hammered into her head, keeping her people fed during the winter. It was the main thing that kept her up at night.

As it pertained to Brienne, she spent the day reacquainting herself with a good bulk of the guards and soldiers of Winterfell. That included training alongside them, even sparring a few of them. She got in touch with all of the generals and commanders, going over battle strategy and tactics. Not much had changed since she had been gone but it was still important to build that repertoire with them, considering she was now their leader. Before, she had just been Sansa's sworn sword, without any input on the army. Now her duties went beyond keeping Sansa safe, but that would always remain top priority.

By the time Brienne found herself at Sansa's door, the moon hung in the sky. She knocked softly and didn't have to wait at all for the door to be opened. It was as if Sansa had been anxiously awaiting her arrival.

The redhead greeted her with a smile, “Ser Brienne, welcome.”

Brienne gave a bow of her head, “Lady Sansa- excuse me, your Grace,” Brienne corrected herself, looking a little sheepish at her slip up. “I suppose that is going to take some getting used to.”

Sansa shook her head, “it doesn't matter. In private, I am just Sansa.” There was a certain look of resistance in Brienne's eyes. “I insist,” Sansa pushed. Brienne gave a curt nod, still not comfortable with addressing a queen so casually.

Sansa moved aside and gave a sweeping gesture with her hand, inviting Brienne in. Brienne came into the room and gave it a once over. Her eyes settled on a table near the fireplace assorted with wine, water, and food. “I didn't know what you were in the mood for, so I wanted to give you options,” Sansa explained.

Brienne turned to her, “you are too kind, Sansa,” the name by itself felt bizarre on her tongue. But it brought a smile out of the woman in question and that was enough for Brienne.

Sansa ran her eyes over the taller woman, taking in her new attire her armor now forgone. “I have always wanted to tell you how well you wear Northern clothing,” Sansa remarked as she closed the door.

Brienne shifted slightly under Sansa's gaze and compliment. She had never been good at receiving compliments, especially in relation to looks. “Again, you are too kind. And I must say that you that you look radiant tonight, as you always do.”

Usually, whenever Sansa was complimented for her looks, she always brushed them off. They were usually superficial tools to manipulate her. But from Brienne, she knew it was different. Her knight was always honest and not one to play those type of games. Sansa couldn't help but to feel appreciative of the compliment. But it left her uncertain as how to respond.

Silence fell over them as they simply stared at each other, the tension around them now suddenly thick. A certain heavy feeling settled in Sansa's stomach, and it was suddenly hard to keep Brienne's gaze. That was a problem she hadn't faced in years, being intimidated by someone. She felt like that naïve girl whose head was filled with fairy tales, rather than the sharp and cynical queen she had become.  

Eventually, Sansa found it herself to break the tension by clearing her throat, “shall we eat, Ser Brienne?” she questioned as she moved over to the table.

The knight blinked several times as if coming out of a daze before following Sansa's lead. But before taking her own seat, she moved quickly to pull out Sansa's chair for her. “You may not want me to address you as such, but you are still my queen,” Brienne told Sansa as she took her seat. Their eyes met once more but in much closer proximity and that look was back in Brienne's eyes. It was almost enough to make Sansa blush, something else she hadn't done in years.

Brienne then took her seat across from Sansa and the two began to eat. They discussed different things over their meal, one subject being Tarth and Brienne's childhood. Sansa listened intently, taking in the new knowledge of her knight. She learned of her training, upbringing, and of her father.

When speaking of Tarth and her father, the love that Brienne had for both was evident in her eyes. That struck a chord within Sansa. “Your father sounds like a good man,” she remarked softly before taking a sip of wine.

“He is,” Brienne replied, smiling.

Sansa looked thoughtful for a moment, twirling her fork on her fingers, “I would like to meet him one day.”

Brienne looked at her in surprise through a mouthful of food, “you would?” she asked after quickly swallowing.

“I would. I want to meet the man that raised the most honorable woman I have ever met".

Brienne shyly refocused on her plate at her words. Sansa took note of her behavior and found it endearing. Brienne glanced up at her and saw the way Sansa was looking at her and Brienne could feel herself getting lost in her eyes once more.

Sansa broke the spell once again, finding a good distraction in the heavy snowfall outside the window. “Quite the storm passing over us wouldn't you say?” Sansa commented as she rose from her chair and went over to the window.

Brienne watched her with bewilderment and mild disappointment. These moments between them had always occurred. From the time Brienne met Sansa, it always seemed like she was on the brink of drowning in her eyes. Getting to know Sansa and becoming closer with her made it worse. The closing days before the Battle of Winterfell, Brienne felt the urge to come out with how she felt. But she could never find the nerve to do so. Until now.

She stood up from chair and went over to join Sansa by the window, standing directly behind her. “Sansa,” she called quietly.

The young queen turned to her. Her eyes widened when she realized how close Brienne was standing next to her, “yes?”

She hesitated momentarily, fighting her nerves “I came back for you,” she breathed.

Sansa looked at her, shocked, “what?”

Brienne gathered all of her knightly courage and repeated herself, “earlier you asked me why I came back. It is part of Winterfell being a home to me, but you were what I thought about all the while I was away".

Sansa seemed to struggle for words as her eyes dropped from Brienne's. Her lack of reply worried Brienne. Perhaps she had said too much and read the situation between them completely wrong.

Then, Sansa looked back up at her, her blues eyes incredibly soft and open. “When you left, you took a part of me with you, along with a sense of security.”

Brienne's brow furrowed in confusion at that, but Sansa pushed forward before she could ask any questions. Letting her guard down in such a manner was rare for Sansa, and if she didn't say what she needed to say now, she may never would. 

“I have said before that no one can really protect anyone but when I'm with you, I feel as though that's not true. I feel as though no harm cannot come to me because you won't allow it,” Sansa explained. “Because you are the knight that I used to dream and fantasize about, you're the knight I used to constantly pray for, to whisk me away from King’s Landing. You're the knight from the stories of my childhood and I brushed all of that away. Until you saved me from Ramsay's men.”

Brienne reached down and grabbed Sansa's hands and have them a squeeze, “that's a lot to live up to and I fear you overestimate me.”

“No, I don't,” Sansa refuted softly, “you are that great knight as easily as you breathe. It’s in everything you do.”

Brienne simply stared at her for a moment, realizing this was the tipping point of their relationship. It was now or never. But just as she encircled Sansa into her arms by the waist and pulled her closer, and just as the distance between them was closing, there was a knock on the door.

Brienne opened her eyes as her shoulders slumped in despair and released her hold on Sansa. The redhead in question looked at her with regret and disappointment before taking a glance at the door. “You should probably get that,” Brienne encouraged.

Blue eyes focused back on her; determination set in them. “One moment before my nerve leaves me,” was all Sansa said before she grabbed Brienne by the face, stood on her tippy toes and kissed her.

Brienne hands landed on Sansa's hips as she pulled the redhead closer, kissing her back immediately. Their first kiss was soft, short, and sweet. They broke apart slowly, Sansa putting herself back onto her feet fully. Sansa stared up at Brienne with hazy eyes. “That was the first kiss that I ever had that wasn’t disturbing.”

Her words hit Brienne with great sadness. They were a reminder of the horrible people that Sansa had encountered and the terrible things that had been done to her.

Brienne gave her waist a squeeze, “well, that was my first ever, if it helps you feel any better.”

Sansa smiled softly, looking as though she was going to kiss Brienne again when there was another knock on the door, harder this time. “Your Grace, are you in there? I come with news from your sister.”

Sansa's entire body deflated. Brienne let out a dejected sigh, releasing Sansa once more and before taking a step back.

Despite the interruption, Sansa was not deterred to let this moment go. “This conversation isn’t over,” she told her knight, eyes filled with promise.

Mouth agape, Brienne could only watch her go to the door.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it, please tell me what you think, what I can do to improve.


End file.
